The Christmas Party
by H.A. Taylor
Summary: Josh/Grace, Lawson/Kerry. The first Christmas party for the tactical response unit. Enjoy.


**The Christmas Party**

**By Mistreated and Forgotten**

**A/N: **Merry Christmas!! : ) I wanted to wrap this present up for all of you over at the Rush forum but I don't think that would be possible with this present filled with Gosh and with a little bit of Lawson and Kerry thrown in for the hell of it. : D

**The Christmas Party – Mistreated and Forgotten**

So it's the first Annual Tactical Response Christmas Party, this being the first party it was a time to get to know everyone on the other teams and their families.

For Lawson's team the party was a time for them to get to know their new teammate, Shannon, who was Dom's replacement after his untimely passing.

Shannon was talking to Grace.

"Josh is hot, don't you think?" asked Shannon.

"Yeah he is hot _and_ taken," replied Grace.

"Oh, I haven't seen him with anyone tonight. Isn't his girlfriend here?"

"She's here but they're keeping a low profile for a bit."

An awkward silence fell upon them.

"So why did you join the police force Shannon?"

"My parents are cops but I wanted to join the force since I was a kid. I'm the oldest out of me and my sister and my parents kind of objected to me joining the force cause I'm always going to be their baby girl."

"My family objected to me joining the force and they still do especially now what with the dangerous nature of our job. My husband well we're not really together any more but he always liked to remind me that he wasn't happy with me joining Tactical Response."

"So why did you and your husband split up, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I guess I just fell out of love with him."

Stella walked over to Grace and Shannon.

"Hey Grace, Shannon."

"Hi, Stella isn't it?"

"Yeah, I thought I should come over here and get to know our new team member."

"Aw thanks Stella."

"Shannon, I'm gonna go let you two talk."

"Okay, talk to you later then. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too, see ya."

Grace walked off leaving Stella to tell Shannon whatever bitchy stuff she wanted to.

**The Christmas Party – Mistreated and Forgotten**

Josh had just finished talking to one of the officers from one of the other teams when Grace walked over to him.

"I think I might have to be a bit jealous."

"Now why would that be?"

"Shannon thinks you're hot."

"All I care is what you think of me. You did tell her I'm off the market didn't you?"

"Yes I told her you're taken but I didn't say that I'm yours."

"I know we're keeping a bit of a low profile but she's our team member."

"She'll know in a minute or two."

Josh gave Grace a confused look.

"She's talking with Stella right now."

"Oh, do you want a drink?"

"Yeah that'll be great thanks."

Josh walked off to go get himself and Grace a drink.

**The Christmas Party – Mistreated and Forgotten**

"Stella do you know who Josh is going out with?"

"Didn't Grace tell you?"

"No, she just said that she was here and that they we're keeping a low profile."

"Oh well, he's with his girlfriend right now," said Stella pointing towards Josh and Grace.

Shannon looked over at Josh and saw that Grace was with him, Shannon wasn't that offended that Grace didn't tell her she would have done it too if their roles had been reversed.

"That explains why she knew that they were keeping a low profile."

"You're not upset she didn't tell you? I know I would be."

"No, I would have done the same thing if I was in her position."

With that Shannon walked off to talk with someone else.

**The Christmas Party – Mistreated and Forgotten**

Josh walked back over to Grace and handed her a glass of wine which she great fully took from Josh.

"I saw Shannon talking to John, he's the leader of one of the other teams."

"And judging by the look on Stella's face I think Shannon knows about us."

"Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah but I was hoping to tell Shannon when I was ready for her to find out."

"What about when I was ready to tell her?"

"I didn't mean to leave you out Josh, but I have more to lose than you. You've got to remember that I'm a woman working it what is stereotyped as a man's job and some people are offended by that."

"I don't think that."

"I know that but some older officers still think that."

"Okay let's get off this topic, it's supposed to be a Christmas party, you're supposed to feel happy and not worry about that sort of stuff."

Grace put her almost empty wine glass down on a nearby table then turned back to Josh.

The room where the party was being held had a dance floor.

"Dance with me."

Josh placed his beer bottle down on the table next to Grace's wine glass, he then turned to Grace and took her hand and they walked on over to the dance floor.

A slow version of John Lennon's Happy Xmas (War Is Over) started playing just as Josh pulled Grace into his arms.

Grace rested her head on Josh's shoulder, "This is one of my favourite Christmas songs and I'm glad I get to dance to it with you."

"I'm happy to be sharing this moment with you."

As the song moved into its chorus, Grace's second favourite part of the song the first being the low counter melody that went along with the third and fourth verses, Grace began to softly sing along to it.

"A merry merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear."

Grace sung along with the counter melody, like she always did to when listening to the song.

"(_And so happy Christmas_)War is over

(_For weak and for strong_) If you want it

(_The rich and the poor ones_)War is over

(_The road is so long_) If you want it

(_So happy Christma_s)War is over

(_For black and for white_) If you want it

(_For yellow and red ones_)War is over

(_Let's stop all the fights_) If you want it."

"A merry merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear.

A merry merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear."

"That was great, you have a beautiful voice Grace," Josh whispered to Grace as the next song started.

Josh's words brought tears to her eyes, she didn't think she was that good a singer.

Grace hadn't said anything so Josh pulled back to look at her face to see if she was alright and saw the tears in her eyes.

"Hey are you okay?"

"They're happy tears."

Josh gently placed a kiss on top of Grace's head.

**The Christmas Party – Mistreated and Forgotten**

Kerry and Lawson were sitting at a table in their own little corner of the room, Kerry watched as Josh and Grace danced out on the dance floor.

"They look great together," said Kerry.

"Who?" asked Lawson.

"Josh and Grace."

Lawson looked over to the dance floor where Kerry was looking to see Josh and Grace dancing, this gave Lawson and idea.

Lawson got up out of his chair and stood in front of Kerry, "Can I have this dance?"

"Why Lawson I thought you would never ask."

The pair walked over to the dance floor and began to dance to the song that was playing. This however didn't go unnoticed.

**The Christmas Party – Mistreated and Forgotten**

Over at another table reasonably close to the dance floor Michael saw Lawson and Kerry walk out onto the dance floor.

"Whoa, Lawson and Kerry heading out on the dance floor," said Michael.

Stella turned around to look at Lawson and Kerry and quickly turned back around to face Michael who had a smile on his face.

"Don't even think about it."

"Hey I wasn't even thinking about it," said Michael defensively.

**The Christmas Party – Mistreated and Forgotten**

Out on the dance floor while dancing with Lawson Kerry was thinking about how she felt for Lawson and didn't realise until that moment that her feelings for him were strong.

"I don't think it's the alcohol making me say this, let's face it you haven't let me drink too much tonight."

"What are you trying to say Kerry?"

"Well I'm trying to say that Lawson I like you, a lot."

"Yeah I think it's the alcohol talking."

"I'm serious Lawson, I really do like you."

"Okay if you say so, prove it."

Kerry caught Lawson by surprise when she leaned closer into him and kissed him after a second of hesitation Lawson kissed her back.

Kerry pulled away from Lawson, "Now do you believe me?"

"I guess I do believe you."

**The Christmas Party – Mistreated and Forgotten**

"Someone's gonna be getting some tonight," said Josh having just seen the kiss Lawson and Kerry had just shared.

"Keep talking like that and you won't be," replied Grace, she cuddled closer into Josh arms as they continued to dance.

"I wasn't talking about me I was talking about Lawson, him and Kerry were kissing just before."

"Least the base gossip is gonna be focused on them for a while instead of us."

"Is that a good thing?"

"That's a very good thing."

**A/N: **That's it! : ) Merry Christmas!! : )


End file.
